1. Some ‘Pros’ of removing a wisdom tooth.

* Wisdom teeth may be hard to access with your toothbrush or floss. Over time, the accumulation of bacteria, sugars and acids may cause a cavity to form in the tooth. If it is not restored with a filling, the cavity may spread and destroy more tooth structure causing severe consequences to the tooth and surrounding supportive structures.

* Due to the difficulty of keeping these teeth clean with your daily brushing and flossing, bacteria and food debris remaining on the wisdom teeth may present a foul smell causing bad breath.

* A wisdom tooth that is still under the gums in a horizontal position rather than a vertical position may exert pressure on surrounding teeth causing crowding and crooked teeth. This also may occur if there is not enough space in the mouth for the wisdom tooth. This may warrant braces to repair the damage.

* A wisdom tooth that is still under the gums may become irritated. The gum tissue that lay over the tooth may harbor food debris and bacteria that gets trapped under the gum resulting in an infection in the gums.

* There is the potential for more problems to occur the longer you wait and the older you get. This is because as you get older, the bone surrounding the tooth becomes increasingly dense making the tooth more difficult to remove. The healing process may also be slower.

2. Some ‘Cons’ of removing a wisdom tooth.

* Depending on the size shape and position of the tooth, removal can vary from a simple extraction to a more complex extraction. With a simple extraction, there is usually little swelling, bruising and bleeding. More complex extraction will require special treatment which may result in more bruising, swelling and bleeding. However, your dentist will provide you with post treatment instructions to minimize these side effects.

* Following an extraction, a condition called “dry socket” may occur. If the blood clot that formed in the extraction area becomes dislodged, it exposes the underlying bone. This condition is very painful but resolves after a few days. It is preventable by following the post treatment instructions provided by your dentist.

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